Justify (horse)
Justify (foaled March 28, 2015) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who is known for being the thirteenth winner of the American Triple Crown. He also was the first horse since Apollo in 1882 to win the Kentucky Derby without racing as a two-year-old.
| Justify | |
|---|---|
Justify and his connections after the 2018 Preakness Stakes | |
| Sire | Scat Daddy |
| Grandsire | Johannesburg |
| Dam | Stage Magic |
| Damsire | Ghostzapper |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | March 28, 2015 Versailles, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Country | United States |
| Color | Chestnut |
| Breeder | John D. Gunther |
| Owner | WinStar Farm (majority owner), China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing, Carcone Racing Stable |
| Trainer | Bob Baffert |
| Record | 6: 5–0–0 |
| Earnings | $3,798,000 |
Justify first attracted attention with a win in his debut race on February 18, 2018. He went on to win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes to become the 13th Triple Crown winner. He was retired undefeated several weeks after the Belmont and became the only American Triple Crown winner who was never beaten in his entire career.
Justify's ancestors include Secretariat, Count Fleet, War Admiral, Omaha, and Gallant Fox, all of whom also won the American Triple Crown. He is also a descendant of English Triple Crown winner Nijinsky.
On September 11, 2019, it was revealed via The New York Times that Justify tested positive for scopolamine, a banned substance that can be performance enhancing, in excess of what is normally found in tainted feed. The positive came just a few days after his win in the 2018 Santa Anita Derby. In December 2023 a court judge ordered that stewards issue a new ruling that would effectively disqualify Justify from that race.